


if callum had brought ben home after all | ballum

by lockedinmybody



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 02:39:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19242151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lockedinmybody/pseuds/lockedinmybody
Summary: callum finds ben crying in paul's old bedroom, drunk and upset. he decides to get him home safely.





	if callum had brought ben home after all | ballum

Callum really doesn’t want to do this.

Ben’s weight against his side, barely holding himself up, eyes drooping, hand clutched tightly in Callum’s. But Jay’s eyes meet his for a moment after looking at Ben with worry, and Callum can’t shake the whirlpool in the pit of his stomach, torn between pushing Ben off and pulling him closer, and suddenly the thought of cool fresh night air makes the decision easy.

“Go on, you stay here. I’ll get him home.”

Jay blinks. “Ah mate, you don’t have to-”

“You’ve done nothing but solve my problems since we’ve been here. I’ll handle this.” Callum gives Jay a reassuring smile, and Jay shoots him a grateful look after a second or two.

Callum looks down at Ben, whose head is bowed to the ground. It’s so far from the snarky, biting, sometimes outright _mean_ guy he’s come to know, and it makes him feel more than he wants to admit.

He starts steering Ben towards the staircase without looking back. One hand still holding Ben’s, resting on his own shoulder, the other around Ben’s waist. “Come on, down the steps.”

Ben grunts something, and the staircase is too narrow for two people next to each other really, but Callum ignores the wall scraping against his arm and focuses on getting down instead.

Once they’re both fully outside Ben’s head lifts, and the light from the street lantern covers him in warm yellow. He looks at Callum, like he can’t _not_ , and something in his eyes becomes clearer, sobers up. The corners of his mouth lift slowly, until he’s fully grinning at Callum, and it’s like nothing he’s ever seen before, and it knocks the breath right out of him.

There’s nothing threatening about it. It’s not mean or evil. Not something he does because he’s just managed to turn Callum inside out, lay his most personal insecurities on the floor and spit on them. Not something he does because he’s got something on him now, something to hold over his head. There’s nothing to gain here.

It’s the first time Callum’s ever seen Ben look happy, genuinely, in all of the little moments they shared, and it’s then that Callum realises he’s still got his arms wrapped around Ben, and Ben hasn’t let his hand go.

Callum can’t help but smile back, and Ben takes in it before bashfully looking away, and Callum’s pretty sure he just felt his insides liquify.

“Let’s get you home, ey.”

They’re already walking again, and their hands stay like that, and they let it be.

When Callum lets Ben go in order for him to grab his keys, he looks at the front door, and it hits him how much this weirdly felt like walking your date home.

“I’d invite you in, but that’s probably not a good idea.” Ben says, hand on the key, looking back at him. Callum’s breath hitches and he stares at Ben like he just said something incriminating.

“Because of the,” Ben gestures to himself, “non sober state I’m in.” Callum nods after a second.

“Yeah, sure. You should get some sleep.”

Ben makes a noise of agreement and turns to enter the house. “Ben,” Callum says, and Ben’s head turns around again.

Callum presses his lips together as he desperately searches for the right words, feeling like saying the wrong thing could ruin this moment, and he doesn’t want to do that for whatever reason.

“Take care of yourself,” Callum settles on, and he takes a breath before he adds, “and give yourself time to feel what you feel.”

He’s well aware sober Ben would’ve laughed in his face or maybe even shoved him into a wall, but this Ben doesn’t. His face softens, and for a moment it feels like he might come towards Callum but he changes his mind.

“Thanks.” It’s slighty hoarse, and Callum knows Ben understands.

“Goodnight.” Callum whispers, and Ben whispers it back before dissappearing behind his front door.

It takes Callum another twenty minutes before he returns to the party. He avoids any questions as to why, and spends the rest of the evening wondering if Ben can’t shake this feeling either.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!  
> you can also find me on[tumblr](https://softlofty.tumblr.com/) :)


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